Finding You
by Ensign Klutz
Summary: The Village of Konoha is preparing for the Hokage's birthday and the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan is not allowed to help. Hinata is left alone with her thoughts and runs away from her memories. She runs from Konoha with Itachi behind her. Itachi/Hinata


_**Finding You**_

**Chinese Fairy: **I am slowly getting back into the mix of writing stories and now that I got over the hurdle of hating on Kishimoto, I am pretty happy to be writing for Itachi and Hinata~!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters!! I swear, if I did, the Akatsuki would still be alive and Sasuke would return to being the cool person before his personality did a 180 degree turn!

**Warnings:** Kiss scene-ish, fluff and that's about it for this one!

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi/Hyuuga Hinata The age difference is a factor, so there won't be a whole lot of "romance" between the two… maybe next time~!

**Summary:** One sunny day, the great village of Konoha was going about preparing for the Hokage's birthday and while everyone is bustling about, one child cannot join in the preperations. As the heiress, Hyuuga Hinata is not asked to help set up anything and since she has time on her hands, she goes for a walk. During the walk, she encounters many thought and memories that make her run. Once Hinata realizes her surroundings have changed, she finds herself in the forest outside of Konoha lost and alone. As time wears on, people begin to notice her absence and the Hokage orders a search party to go find her and Itachi is one of the twenty-four people placed on the mission…

**Chinese Fairy: **Alright, since I am getting over my drama and junk against Kishimoto, I will start off slow and work my way back around! (hopefully)… Enjoy everyone!!!

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

_**Finding You**_

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

Another pasing day in Konoha could make anyone smile. The sun was shinning. There was a delicate breeze that swept through the air as a good thing; not as an annoyance. Also, the Ninja Academy was closed for a little break to commemorate the Sandaime's birthday on February eighth. This was a special day because it was a bright, warm, sunny day in winter… Almost like the weather wanted to celebrate the grand occasion as well.

The party was to be held from the main street of Konoha and go on until it lead to one of the largest trainning grounds where everyone would mingle and enjoy the spectacular party. Everyone was invited. All over the Fire Country people were going to flock to Konoha in order to pay homage to the Hokage… Those in the Village of the Leaf are putting the party together. Including the clans of the great village.

The Yamanaka Clan is working with the Haruno family in weaving vividly colored flowers to decorate the buildings and lanterns. The Aburame Clan is summoning all the fireflies of the Fire Country to come and help light up the celebration with their syncronized patterns. The Inuzuka and Nara Clan are asking aid from their four legged friends to help liven the party by dances and showing off Konoha's beauty to the visitors. A beautiful village is key to showing the entire country how well the Hokage tends to her. Finally, the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans are mutually coming together to preform a dance that holds meaning for winter going on spring. This is dance is used in both clans, so practice comes easily and it is also a show of how flawless their clans are. The preformance will show how strong both clans are in the safe and nurturing Village of the Hidden Leaf…

A light sigh escaped the small form of the future heiress to the Hyuuga Clan as she starred at everyone working hard on the upcoming celebration of the Hokage's birthday. All the villagers were working and making everything perfect, but her. The seven year old was not allowed since she was a doll her father kept away from everyone. Meaning no one could hurt her and no one could ever be her friend. Hyuuga Hinata has no one to play with. Her cousin hated her; her clan members thought she was useless; and none of the other children wanted to get near her since she was too "creepy".

The young girl was perched on a bench in the middle of the chaos that radiated off warmth and comfort even though it was the chaos of setting up a party. Hinata still watched everyone around her complete their work and she couldn't help but think of the the hardest worker she knew… Hyuuga Harumi… Her name made Hinata smile, because no matter what her mother did, she always looked just like her name described: a beauty… A spring beauty. Whatver she did; whether it was working, trainning, keeping her father in check with his attitude… Everything she did, she did it flawlessly, without hesitation, and she performed any task beautifully.

Now a lip-biting frown graced Hinata's lips as the mental image of her mother's headstone flashed in her mind. The year before when she was blessed with her sister Hanabi, her mother passed away from the delivery and a lot of the smiles vanished from the Hyuuga estate. Her father became bitter and resented the world for taking his sweet wife. The Branch members were once again treated as servents; and no one was mediator between her cousin Neji and herself.

There was no one to be there for her and it was heart wrenching!

Hinata gazed up to the clear blue sky and her hand came up to eye level to block the suns blazing rays. "There is nothing for me to do… Maybe a walk could help…" she pondered aloud. Nodding softly to herself, the young Hyuuga stood from her seat and walked off towards any direction her feet were taking her. Forgetting to inform her guard that was mingling with the other villagers of Konoha that she was on the move.

Minutes ticked by like seconds as the little girl with short purple hair made her way through the city avoiding getting into peoples way and stepping out of crowded areas quickly. Every place was buzzling happily about and it seemed as though there was a drop of happiness for everyone, but Hinata. Her sad gaze caught the sight of the Academy where children were working on drawings for the Hokage as presents, or other children who were going about making lanterns or cranes for the festival. Feeling the familiar ache in her chest, Hinata turned around sharply and ran off.

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

She had no idea when, but apparently, Hinata passed the entrance gates into Konoha and rushed blinly into the lush green forest that hugged her village. A small bit of panic struck her heart when nothing in the immediate area looked familiar. "Wh-where am I?" she squeaked to herself, and of course, no one answered back… She really was alone.

The drumming of her heart pounded in her ears as the muscle in her chest increased its pace and soon was defying physics. _'Where was she? Did anyone notice she was gone? Will someone go looking for her? Will her father help her? Will Neji miss her her? Would he finally stop hating her and come to help find her?!'_

Hinata's thoughts were racing a million miles a second and nothing was helping to calm her down. Suddenly, she heard this horrible noise coming from somewhere and it was disturbing. The sound was like an animal's ragged breathing after a long chase after a prey that it did not catch… the pattern beating sounded close. Was there a beast nearby and was it going to eat her?!

"Wait, when did the ground start shaking?" she whimpered to herself and soon she realized, _'There is no beast or earthquake… I'm sobbing and shaking.'_

She slumped against a tree trunk, but Hinata wasn't paying attention to her footing as her foot slipped on a patch of moist grass and she suddenly fell into a small opening at the bottom of the tree trunk.

Before she could scream in alarm, the back of her head slammed into a stray root and a feeble moan passed Hinata's lips and her world fell into darkness.

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

It has been a few hours since the guard of Lady Hinata realized that his Heiress vanished and he rushed to inform Lord Hiashi. Hiashi growled out a search party be formed and begin looking for his daughter at once.

Rumors of the seven year old Hinata missing rushed through Konoha like a wild fire and soon everyone was keeping an eye out for the young Hyuuga. The Hokage quickly heard of the unsettling news and called upon any ninja who was especially skilled in tracking to help find her. Hatake Kakashi was called upon; so was Inuzuka Tsume; and another well-known ninja summoned by the Third was the Uchiha prodigy, Itachi. The three ninjas along with twenty-one others were called to meet before the Hokage and with orders to find the little girl as soon as possible the group vanished.

As Uchiha Itachi jumped from building top to building top, he thought about the same little girl that caught his eye earlier this very year on the New Year's celebration… She was very different then any other child he has encountered. Including his brother… She didn't annoy him; she made him feel at ease. She is the same child that made him feel like he swallowed a large clump of lead whenever she was in danger…

A small frown dressed his lips and Itachi ran faster than ever after a very faint trace of Hinata's Chakra.

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

When soft, levender eyes opened, everything around her was pitch black. Her surroundings were eerie as a light breeze rustled the leaves and from a far distance, there was the sound of wild animals. Her heart began to race, because not only was she lost, but now she was at a disadvantage and in her surroundings were darkened.

Hinata tentatively stood up from the small hole at the base of her tree and looked around. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness and faint outlines of objects were beginning to form. Slowly, with her right hand stretched out to guide her, she began walking blindly into the forest. _'If… If only my father would teach me more of my Blood Inheritance Limit…'_ Hinata thought miserably to herself as her outstretched hand gently found another tree in her way.

As she moved around the great oak, a rustling sound from behind her stopped the child dead in her tracks. Like a deer caught in the headlights, she refused to move for a moment and when the rustling sounded closer, she turned to run as fast as her small body would allow her.

Suddenly warm, lithe, arms enveloped her into an embrace that stopped her panicked struggling. "What are you doing out here?" asked a stoic voice that Hinata recongized from the New Year's party. "I-Itachi-san…" she breathed softly and he sighed inaudibly. If she did hear him, the heiress would have guessed he was restless.

"You didn't answer my question." He stated then added, "And I told you to drop the honorific. You can just call me Itachi, Hinata."

She nodded absently then mumbled, "I… I ran out of Konoha since it was getting crowded in my thoughts. I-It was an a-accident that, that I fell into the… A rabbit hole. I'm sorry you had to go l-look for me." She placd her small index finger to her lower lip and Itachi being a good reader of people, knew she wanted to put a barrier between the two of them.

"Hn." Was his only response. TheUchiha prodigy would never admit that he was grateful to be the one who found Hinata. He was glad to be the one who found her and just seeing her calmed his illigoically pained heart.

Itachi picked her up into his arms and safely tucked her into his arms. "We need to return you to Konoha, you and your silly child-like thoughts." He said and began the walk back towards the Konoha gates. She huddled into his warm form and only then did she realize how cold her body was. It was too cold by herself and the long period of time she spent alone did not help. It was at this very moment Hinata realized that Itachi was very warm. Of course he didn't show it, but he was warm. In more than one way; he was warm-hearted to her, kind and caring when no one else in her life was…

"You are warm, Itachi… You keep me safe…" she murmured into his chest. His eyes widened for a moment, than he regained control over his lapse of emotion. "… You are the only one who would say that." He replied. She giggled softly and continued, "No one else in my life is… As kind as you are. You were the only one who saw how sad I was during the New Year's party…"

Hinata gently placed her small hand against his chest and felt for his heart through his ANBU armor. "I have missed someone watching over me and making me smile… M-My mother was the one who made sure my father saw me and now… Sh-She is gone… I thought no one else would see me for who I am…" she broke off her own sentence as tears began building up in her pupil-less orbs. He was about to reply but she then continued.

"You saved me… A six year old who thought her life was over, and you brought me out of the darkness… Thank you." She mumbled the last statement and her body went limp. She fell asleep.

Itachi continued walking, but his posture changed. He pulled her closer, keeping in mind that his ANBU garment was bulky, his free hand gently stroked away her bangs out of her eyes, and Itachi gently placed a small kiss on top of her head.

"Thank you for being my light at the end of the darkening world I was growing accustomed to." He knew she wouldn't answer, but he would also never say these things when she was awake. "You saved me when all around me was blood, death, and turning my heart to ice. I thought I was going to taint your innocence, but you procured my own… I will never forget you, Hinata. You are now what keeps me grounded as a human, not a ninja…"

Itachi felt her grasp on his chest plate tightened, but he took it as a reaction in sleep. He continued walking back to Konoha.

The same Konoha that used to be a dark place for them both, but now they could ensure one another's sanity and future in this world…

What Itachi never saw was the smile that bloomed on Hinata's face after he said all of those heart warming words. _"You are welcome, Itachi."_

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX**

**Chinese Fairy:** Well, I'm sorry if anyone got cavities while reading this and I hope everyone enjoyed it… ish… Sorry for any mistakes, I am now my own Beta-person-thingy so here we go!

Thank you for reading and if you'd like, please review and tell me if you can see a diference in my writing from a year ago~! Ja, Bye!


End file.
